Robocalls at 7:15 am to notify parents of school closures
If you are the parent of a Baltimore County student or a staff member, you may have checked the website around 6 or 6:30 am this morning and found that schools were opening two hours late.
But for those who plunged back into their pillows, the phone rang at 7:15 am. In fact, phones began ringing all over the county as the robocalls went out to say that school was canceled. Charles Herndon, a public information officer, said that call was "a bit unusual," but "we believed it was important to let everyone know as soon as possible and in the most direct way possible."
He said the initial decision was made at 4:45 am, but the transportation folks out in the field were asked to report back on conditions at 6:30 am. After the reports of poor conditions came in, the system decided at 6:45 am to close for the day.
Herndon, who is also a parent, said he got a Robocall from himself at 7:15.
Baltimoresun.com's 
Comments
BS Paper @ BCPSS Global Connect system to notify parents of school opening delays/closures?
If you are the parent of a Baltimore City Public School System student or a staff member, you also may have checked the website this morning in this district and found that schools were opening two hours late.
But for those who plunged back into their pillows in Baltimore City, the phone has never rang from a Global Connect system call at any AM time. In fact, phones have never ring all over the city to alert you about school opening delays or for closures as in fact it does for Baltimore County the robocalls go out to say that school was canceled.
Andres Alonso CEO, Tisha Edwards a chief of staff officer, do they believed it was/is important to let everyone know as soon as possible and in the most direct way possible."
The Global Connect decision used can be made by Andres Alonso, Tisha Edward, but are our BCPSS transportation folks out in the field also should be asked to report back on AM conditions.
Why it is Parents never get a school closing/delay opening AM Global Connect calls from the BCPSS. Is it a system capability or attendance only function major issue?
Posted by: Interested & Engaged | February 1, 2011 7:36 PM
Personally, I hate robocalls. I receive emails from City Schools and since I check my email obsesively this is the best way to get in contact with me and lets me decide if right now is the time I need to read the communication or if it can wait. I have signed up for the Sun Paper email notification for City School closures and that works very well.
I understand that not all people have email, so maybe robocalls are needed for some (of course not all people have phone numbers or a stable phone number between August and June). Perhaps part of our yearly filling out of contact forms could include a box for email or robocall.
Posted by: a parent | February 2, 2011 8:08 AM